Start the New Year with a Clean Slate (or at least a clean work area)
What do you consider your designated work space? Is it a desk in a personal office or cubicle? Is it a front counter with a cash register/computer? Maybe it’s a table in a space behind the door in the back room where you hang your coat? Mine is a home office desk, currently located in our open living area. Is it fair to say my work area is, well, a little cluttered? I prefer to call it conveniently organized.
In the past, I had an office desk, where I could shut the door and leave things “as is” when working on big projects. However I am the first to admit paper piles are not always productive, therefore today I recommend something I practice regularly throughout the year. My “Clean Slate Theory”.
Here’s how it works:
1. Find a big box, bin or container
2. Remove from your workspace any papers and notes relating to current projects of immediate importance (next 24-48 hours) and move them somewhere safe.
3. Take everything else on top of and/or within visual site of your work space (and if you are really brave everything in your desk drawers) and dump it in the box (including pictures, knickknacks, water bottles and coffee cups – please empty first).
4. Take some cleaner and paper towel and clean away.
5. Stand back for 2 minutes and enjoy the “Clean Slate”, then take a deep breath and reprioritize your day, week, and month.
Don’t panic, everything you may need is still in the box. You can access it as necessary, but you may be surprised to find that at the end of the month, much of the box contents have not been touched at all!
If a full month goes by and contents remain in the box, take one hour to go through them and purge whatever is no longer of importance!
You may be questioned by co-workers about your employment intentions - but tell them about your clean slate theory and you just might start a new trend.
Every so often we all need to work with a clean slate!
Wishing you a clean start to 2011!
Barb
